Sutera plant named ‘Balabpink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sutera  plant named ‘Balabpink’, characterized by its lavender pink-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, moderately compact, and trailing growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Sutera×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Balabpink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Suteraplant botanically known as Sutera×hybrida and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balabpink’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inGuadalupe, Calif. during August 2005. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Sutera cultivars that continuously flowerwith attractive flower coloration, dark green-colored foliage, excellentbasal branching, and spreading growth habit.

The new Sutera cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female(seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Sutera×hybridabreeding selection designated 5349-4-3, not patented, characterized byits dark lavender-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, andmoderately vigorous, trailing growth habit. The male (pollen) parent ofthe new cultivar is ‘Copia Pink’, unpatented, characterized by its lightpink-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderatelyvigorous, trailing growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered andselected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the abovestated cross-pollination during April 2006 in a controlled environmentat Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceApril 2006 at Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstratedthat the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balabpink’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Sutera plant:

-   -   1. Lavender pink-colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, moderately compact, and trailing growth        habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and growth habit and from plants of the maleparent primarily in flower color and growth habit. The new cultivar hasa more compact growth habit than either parent.

Of the many commercially available Sutera cultivars, the most similar incomparison to the new cultivar is Scopia Dark Pink ‘Dancop19’, U.S.Plant Pat. No. 18,116. However, in side by side comparisons, plants ofthe new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Dancop19’ in at least thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a smaller flower diameter        than plants of ‘Dancop19’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have slightly lighter colored        flowers than plants of ‘Dancop19’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balabpink’. Theplants were grown in 4.5 inch pots for 6 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill. Plants were given one pinch at transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balabpink’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balabpink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Mar. 18, 2008 between 9:00a.m. and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 4.5 inch pots for 6 weeksutilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given one pinch attransplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70°F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F.to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levelsof 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during theday. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typicalplants.

-   Botanical classification: Sutera×hybrida cultivar Balabpink.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Sutera×hybrida breeding selection            designated 5349-4-3, not patented.        -   Male parent.—‘Copia Pink’, unpatented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 13 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 24            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            moderately compact, trailing.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 6.3 cm. Width: Approximately 24.8 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching will improve            basal branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:            Approximately 5.        -   Branch.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Length: Approximately            14.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.5 mm. Length of central            internode: Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent.            Color of young and mature stems: 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 16. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem; leaf blade transitions            to an obtuse angle to stem with age. Shape: Broadly ovate.            Margin: Serrate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Venation            pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately            1.8 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 1.2 cm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color of            upper surface of young foliage: 137C with indistinguishable            venation. Color of lower surface of young and mature            foliage: 138B with venation of 138C. Color of upper surface            of mature foliage 137A with indistinguishable venation.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 3.5 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:            138C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balabpink’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            6 to 9 days.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Solitary, axillary, salverform            and persistent. Quantity per plant: Approximately 14.            Fragrance: None.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 1 to 2 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per            plant: Approximately 14.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:            Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:            Colorless, transparent. Color: 76D.        -   Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 1.5 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate.            Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Length from tube:            Approximately 6.0 mm. Length of free portion: Approximately            5.0 mm. Width: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first            and fully open: 76B with 77B at tube opening. Color of lower            surface when first and fully open: 76C.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter at            distal end: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter at proximal end:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Densely            pubescent. Texture of outer surface: Densely glandular            pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of            inner surface: 77B at opening with throat of 16A. Color of            outer surface: 158A with an overlay of 16B at distal end.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to            stem. Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter: Less than            1 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape: Narrow            linear. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately            4.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper            surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of lower surface:            Densely pubescent. Color of upper surface: 137A. Color of            lower surface: 144A at base transitioning to 137A toward            apex.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4            didynamous, basifixed. Stamen length (longer pair):            Approximately 9.0 mm. Filament length of free portion            (longer pair): Approximately 4.0 mm. Stamen length (shorter            pair): Approximately 6.0 mm. Filament length of free portion            (shorter pair): Approximately 2.0 mm. Filament color: Purer            white than 155D. Anther shape: Funnel. Anther length: Less            than 1 mm. Anther color: 14C. Pollen amount: Abundant.            Pollen color: 14A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower.            Pistil length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Stigma shape:            Elongated, curved. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm.            Stigma color: 144B. Style length: Approximately 7.0 mm.            Style color: 144D. Ovary length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary            color: 144A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Sutera has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘Balabpink’,substantially as herein shown and described.